Events

Come join the La Jolla Golden Triangle Rotary Club Social committe for a night of easy talking on Thursday, April 24th from 7pm-9pm at the Oculto 477 Speakeasy, located at 2414 San Diego Ave, San Diego, CA 92110. It should be quite the night for fellowship and talking sideways!

The LJGT Rotary Wine Soiree returns to UCSD's Faculty Club showcasing:

• Exquisite California and Baja Norte Wines

• Live and silent auction items including one-of -a-kind experiences, vacations, high end wines and more

• Sumptuous hors d’oeuvres

• Sizzling hot pizza from the outdoor pizza oven

Your ticket price of $100 also includes sumptuous hors d’oeuvres, pizzas fresh from the Faculty Club’s outdoor pizza oven. A wide array of exciting auction items are also on the menu.

Our Memorial Day special meeting will be at the Atkinson Pavilion, across the courtyard at the Faculty Club. 

BYOB Going Away party for Marty and Sharon at Bev Laursen's House

It’s Peanut Butter Jelly Time… Literally! Please join the La Jolla Golden Triangle Rotary Club Social Committee in making Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwhiches on June 7th, 2025 from 10am to 1pm at 8540 Via Mallorca San Diego, CA 92037. All sandwhiches produced will go to help food insecure people in San Diego through Father Joe's. Fary has donated her complex's great room to help everyone get together! We are aiming to make 750 sandwhiches this time! If you would like to bring something please bring loaves of bread, we will be providing peanut butter and Jelly along with other supplies to make them! Please park at the DSW shoes or pet shop across from the complex and walk over. Feel free to bring friends and family, lets see how many we can make! Questions, comments or concerns, please text Samson Tse at (818) 632-5149

We are collecting names to buy 1-2 LJGT Rotary Club tables of 10 for this evening of dinner, awards, swearing-in of our Pres. David Chong, and dancing.  We will then add your name to the tables.  Sharon will then bill you $100 once the tables are purchased.  We are on a quick timeline as the event and tables sell out fast.  Please RSVP by Monday, April 21st. 

From our Incoming Rotary District 5340 Governor Luis Carranza...

The Governor's dinner evening will be a beautiful celebration of all we’ve accomplished together during this past year under the incredible leadership of District Governor Dianne Crawford — including the presentation of well-deserved individual and club awards recognizing the heart, passion, and dedication of our members.

But it’s also the start of a new chapter...

We will honor and swear in our 2025-2026 Club Presidents, our Assistant Governors, and with great humility and pride, I will be sworn in as your District Governor for 2025-2026. I would be incredibly honored to have YOU there with me on this unforgettable night — not just as fellow Rotarians, but as family.

We’ll gather, we’ll laugh, we’ll cheer, we’ll dance... because this is Rotary — and this is our moment to celebrate together.

We are collecting names to buy a second LJGT Rotary Club table of 10 for this evening of dinner, awards, and swearing-in of our President. David Chong and dancing.  We will then add your name to the tables.  Sharon will then bill you $100 once the tables are purchased.  We are on a quick timeline as the event and tables sell out fast.  Please RSVP by Saturday, May 2nd, to get the early bird pricing. 

This invite is only for those not confirmed for the first table. 

Join us for the Game Changer promotion of David Chong as President and demote Luke Ervin as Past President!  Wear your favorite sports team jersey or sporty casual attire as we honor our MVP of Change, Luke Ervin!  

President David's First Meeting of the Year - Don't Miss It!!!

Baywolf will be performing on Saturday, July 26 from 2-5pm at the Coronado Ferry Landing. We set up in the grass area next to Peohe's Restaurant. Free music at a family-friendly and beautiful outdoor venue, overlooking the bay and San Diego city scape. Several food options available or members can bring a picnic and enjoy. All one needs is a lawn chair or blanket, and their dancing shoes! BayWolf will be providing LIVE MUSIC featuring Classic Rock and Blues favorites for the Coronado Ferry Landing's Weekend Concert Series. Bring a lawn chair for the lawn, sunscreen for the sun, and a jacket for the breeze from the wonderful San Diego Bay. The view is gorgeous!

Contact Samson Tse at 818-632-5149 if you have any questions or concerns!

The Bridge is a hidden speakeasy inside the Coronado Fire Station offering an intimate escape with a subtle nod to Navy heritage. Tucked away behind a discreet alley entrance, this exclusive space blends vintage charm with a warm, inviting ambiance. Guests can sip on expertly crafted cocktails each designed with a unique twist, while soaking in the sophisticated yet relaxed atmosphere. Whether you are looking for a private couple retreat or a memorable night out, the Bridge delivers a one-of-a-kind experience. All about good friends and amazing cocktails!

Join Lori and Samson at the Bridge Speakeasy after Baywolf! 

Any questions or concerns please contact Lori at (858) 337-0547 or Samson at (818) 632-5149

Please join us for a fun evening experiencing Japanese Teppanyaki!

Parking: All parking spaces marked A, B and V in the Faculty Club lot and Scholars Parking Garage are available to park for free if you register either in advance or upon meeting check-in using the QR Code or link below,  To register, enter your license plate number and follow the prompts.  

https://www.offstreet.io/location/J0OQY072

Once registered, you can park as early as you want and until 9:30 am.  If you stay later than 9:30 am, you will need to use the ParkMobile app or pay at the parking kiosk located in the Faculty Club.    

Five (5) handicapped spaces are available in front of the Club, and more in the Scholars Parking Garage (near the elevators). You do not register if you have a DP plate. 

If you carpool let check in know as members beyond one will be reimbursed $7 in the next billing.

Join us for our first International Zoom meeting! 

Friday, August 29, 8-9 a.m. PST

We are thrilled to welcome a sitting member of the Lebanese Parliament, the Honorable Najat Aoun Saliba. A renowned scientist and academic (she obtained her doctorate at USC in 1999), Najat will discuss her unique journey and will address issues altering the region. 

 

Steve Brown will facilitate this program, formally entitled:

Through Conflict, Toward Change: A Life of Science, Justice, and Service

 

We will dispense with normal club business and focus exclusively on Najat’s presentation - please be thinking about your questions during her presentation. 

Zoom Link:  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81152869266?pwd=aexY3sfAdus2Cw9cBuh63CY5bMVqzQ.1

Meeting ID: 811 5286 9266
Passcode: Rotary

Francisco “Frank” Urtasun returned to the Port of San Diego’s Board of Port Commissioners in 2022 as an appointee of the City of Coronado. Previously, he served as a Commissioner from 1992-2002 as an appointee the City of Imperial Beach. He is the first Commissioner in the history of the Port to be appointed by two different member cities.

Commissioner Urtasun is also the former president of Regional Strategies Group (RSG), a San Diego-based public affairs and strategic communications consulting firm. Prior to the establishment of RSG, he was the regional vice president of External Relations for Sempra Energy Services Corporation, a business unit of Sempra Energy. Sempra Energy is a San Diego-based Fortune 500 energy services holding company whose subsidiaries provide electricity, natural gas and value-added products and services. Over the course of his 38-year career at Sempra Energy, Commissioner Urtasun held several senior level management positions.

Prior to joining SDG&E, Commissioner Urtasun began his career in the real estate industry, focusing on buying, entitling, and constructing his own single and multi-family residential projects. Today, he also manages Southwesterly Properties, which owns and operates single and multi-family properties throughout Southern San Diego County.

Throughout his career, Commissioner Urtasun has served on numerous local community boards, including: chairman of San Diego Housing Commission, 2017 – 2019; chairman of San Diego Downtown Partnership, 2015 – 2016; chairman and Commissioner of the Port of San Diego Board of Port Commissioners, 1992 – 2002; Local Initiatives Support Corporation, 2015 – 2019; board member and awardee of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce’s “Ten Lifetime San Diegans,” 2007.

Urtasun holds a bachelor’s degree from San Diego State University and was recognized as an Outstanding Alumni and the President’s Honorary Degree from Southwestern College. He and his wife, Caren, have two adult children and two grandchildren.

Parking: All parking spaces marked A only in the Faculty Club lot and Scholars Parking Garage are available to park for free if you register either in advance or upon meeting check-in using the link below,  To register, enter your license plate number and follow the prompts.  

https://www.offstreet.io/location/J0OQY072

Once registered, you can park as early as you want and until 9:30 am.  If you stay later than 9:30 am, you will need to move your car to a V (Visitor) spot and use the ParkMobile app or pay at the parking kiosk located in the Faculty Club.    Alternatively, if you park in a Visitor space and do not register here (i.e., pay all on your own), let the check-in desk know to mark you down for a $7 credit on your next bill.

Five (5) handicapped spaces are available in front of the Club, and more in the Scholars Parking Garage (near the elevators). You do not register if you have a DP plate. 

If you carpool let check in know as members beyond one will be reimbursed $7 in the next billing.

Come join the LJGT Social Committee for a 70s celebration and look back at the music of the 70s on Sunday, September 7th for lunch at Tavern and A world premiere musical celebration The 70s, The Golden Age of the Album at the Lamb’s Player Theatre in Coronado. Hear the music of the Doobie Brothers,James Taylor,  Carole King, Elton John, Simon and Garfunkel, Neil Young and others..  

Come join us for lunch at 12pm at Tavern and then we will walk to the show at 2 pm. Tickets to the show are $78 (normally they’d be $98!). There is also a separate ½ price for those 34 and younger who join the fun. Bring a friend, bring a few friends! Check out information about the show at https://www.lambsplayers.org/70s-show-description

Any questions please contact (text or call) Lisa Galstian at 858-210-8812 or gartgal@att.net

We are putting on a Dinner for the YAC https://www.yacsd.org/

Dr. Divya Kakaiya is the Founder and Clinical Director of Healthy Within Neurofeedback Center in San Diego and a nationally recognized expert in integrative brain health. With over 40 years of experience treating brain-based conditions, Dr. Kakaiya holds a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and a postdoctoral M.S. in Psychopharmacology. In 2019, she was awarded Fellow status by the Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback (AAPB) for her contributions to neuroscience. 

Originally known for her work in eating disorders, Dr. Kakaiya pivoted her entire practice to brain optimization through neurofeedback, treating conditions such as ADHD, anxiety, PTSD, traumatic brain injury, autism, and learning differences. Her neurofeedback-only practice serves patients aged 4 to 89. As an integrative psychologist and neuroscientist, she combines QEEG brain mapping, neurofeedback, mindfulness, and trauma-informed care to promote brain regulation and healing without medication. 

Dr. Kakaiya is also a renowned educational and community leader. She founded the Healthy Within Foundation in 2002, reaching thousands of youth and parents through school-based wellness programs like “Full of Ourselves” and “The Council for Boys and Men.” She has trained over 385 interns in her career and continues to speak on topics such as the teen brain, trauma, and neurogenesis and creating safe communities. 

Parking: All parking spaces marked A only in the Faculty Club lot and Scholars Parking Garage are available to park for free if you register either in advance or upon meeting check-in using the link below,  To register, enter your license plate number and follow the prompts.  

https://www.offstreet.io/location/J0OQY072

Once registered, you can park as early as you want and until 9:30 am.  If you stay later than 9:30 am, you will need to move your car to a V (Visitor) spot and use the ParkMobile app or pay at the parking kiosk located in the Faculty Club.    Alternatively, if you park in a Visitor space and do not register here (i.e., pay all on your own), let the check-in desk know to mark you down for a $7 credit on your next bill.

Five (5) handicapped spaces are available in front of the Club, and more in the Scholars Parking Garage (near the elevators). You do not register if you have a DP plate. 

If you carpool let check in know as members beyond one will be reimbursed $7 in the next billing.

Come learn about all of different committees and more!

Dr. Benjamin L. Smarr, Ph.D. Neurobiology, is an associate professor at UCSD’s Shu Chien-Gene Lay Department of Bioengineering and the Halicioğlu Data Science Institute. His work leverages his domain expertise in biological rhythms and neuroendocrinology to uncover patterns in diverse sets of IoT time series data that carry actionable information to impact physical health, mental health, and performance. In 2020 he became the technical lead of the global collaborative TemPredict study, which developed algorithms for early detection of COVID-19 infection, and unique cyberinfrastructure to serve rapid, collaborative explorations of population-scale, personal time series data. Leveraging these data and others, the Smarr lab focuses on applications in women’s health and aging, and technical development in service of debiasing algorithms, increasing participant engagement, and accelerating the emergence of precision health care for individuals and populations alike.

Parking: All parking spaces marked A only in the Faculty Club lot and Scholars Parking Garage are available to park for free if you register either in advance or upon meeting check-in using the link below,  To register, enter your license plate number and follow the prompts.  

https://www.offstreet.io/location/J0OQY072

Once registered, you can park as early as you want and until 9:30 am.  If you stay later than 9:30 am, you will need to move your car to a V (Visitor) spot and use the ParkMobile app or pay at the parking kiosk located in the Faculty Club.    Alternatively, if you park in a Visitor space and do not register here (i.e., pay all on your own), let the check-in desk know to mark you down for a $7 credit on your next bill.

Five (5) handicapped spaces are available in front of the Club, and more in the Scholars Parking Garage (near the elevators). You do not register if you have a DP plate. 

If you carpool let check in know as members beyond one will be reimbursed $7 in the next billing.

Ready for a rewarding work project to help an elementary school in Ensenada and enjoy great Rotary fellowship?  Join us on an overnight trip, bus transportation provided.  We depart on Saturday, October 4, 2025, at 7:00 a.m. from Frost Hardwood in San Diego, and leave the Ensenda Hotel on Sunday, October 5, 2025, at 10:00 a.m., arriving back in San Diego around 2:00 p.m.  Saturday will be our work project day, with a great lunch and dinner provided for us to enjoy together. 

Your cost includes the hotel room, bus, snacks and water on the bus, Saturday lunch and dinner (with margaritas at dinner!), and a project t-shirt.  You do not need to pay to register today!  If you are bringing any guests, please register them as well!  You can indicate in the registration notes whether you intend to share a room and with whom.

Chair Ron Kohl will collect your fees before the departure date.  The cost of a single person in a private room is $250.  Share a room for a price of $310 for two people, $370 for three people, $430 for four people, or $490 for five people. 

Limited space, so sign up early!

Hey join the LJGT Rotary social club in doing our first hike adventure this Sunday morning. See more information here https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/father-junipero-serra-trail. We're aiming to hike from 10am to noon and then maybe grab lunch at Mona's Italian restaurant at 5156 Waring Rd, San Diego, CA 92120. Any questions, comments or concerns please contact Samson Tse at (818) 632-5149

As leader of Voice of San Diego, Scott makes sure the journalists at Voice have jobs and the editors get what they need to provide San Diegans with the best journalism possible. He also co-hosts the most popular public affairs podcast recorded in downtown San Diego (the Voice of San Diego Podcast) and collaborates on the weekly Politics Report along with his own occasional investigative reporting and analysis. He is a graduate of the University of Utah and lives in Ocean Beach with his wife and two children.